Attachment for ladders



April 11, 1967 A. o. BAUCHARD 3,313,506

ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS Filed June 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

Amab/e 0. Baa/chard INVENTOR.

April 11, 1967 A. o. BAUCHARD ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1965 Fig. 7

Amab/e 0. Baa/chard INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,313,506 AT'I'ACHlVIENT FOR LADDERS Amable 0. Bauchard, 660 W. Valley St., Eastland, Tex. 76448 Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,658 8 Claims. (Cl. 248-210) The present invention relates to a readily applicable and removable attachment for ladders which is functionally designed and structurally adapted for reliable use on any type of ladder with any type rungs or steps and well and satisfactorily serves the purposes for which it may and can be used.

Persons conversant with the art to which the present invention relates and who have familiarized themselves with trends in this line of endeavor have observed that professional painters are using and advocating the use 'of aluminum ladders (stepladders, extension ladders) not only because of lightness in weight and durability and appearance but because such ladders provide a flattop step ranging from three to four and a half inches in width and so mounted that it is virtually level with the ground when the ladder is inclined and propped against a building wall or the like. Then, too, it has been observed time and again that many wooden ladders which are now being manufactured and marketed are made along the lines of aluminum ladders in that they are provided with broad steps. Commonly used folding or collapsible ladders for indoor use are almost invariably provided with wide fiat-faced steps. Nevertheless and even so there are certain ladders which continue to utilize round and equivalent rungs and even some ladders, usually homemade ladders wherein a board is nailed at it ends to span the rails or stiles and is vertically disposed to provide a narrow and hence an objectionable edge on which to stand. The purpose in giving this background information is to stress the fact that the invention herein disclosed is unique and therefore an innovation in that, regardless of the type of steps or rungs, anchoring hook means is provided which lends itself to feasible and reliable use in conjunction therewith. It follows that it is an overall objective to provide a ladder attachment which is amply and aptly adapted for use on virtually any ladder that would likely be used by professional painters, and those, being amateurs, who are classified as a do-it-yourself ladder user.

It is to be further pointed out by way of introduction that a general objective of the invention which will be hereinafter more explicitly revealed is to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon prior art and marketed ladder attachments such as are primarily used for supporting a paint bucket and which for the most part, but unlike the present invention, are such in construction that the component parts are of a given size and shape and therefore are limited for fitting use on one specific size or shape of hand rail. Accordingly, if the hand rail is as much as one-half inch smaller the associatable bracket will loosen and rock the paint can, pot or bucket to one side or the other. If the hand rail is as much as one-half inch larger than the bracket it is designed to fit it will be impossible to mount the bracket at all. Accordingly, and as suggested, the present invention has to do with an adaptation wherein the component parts lend themselves to orientation and coordination to accommodatingly fit hand rails or stiles of widely varying dimensions.

Briefly and in carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention a readily attachable and detachable bracket made up of fiat strap part is employed. To the ends desired there is an elongated main arm and a companion auxiliary arm with opposed portions of the arms con- 3 ,3l3,5fi6 Patented Apr. ll, 1967 nectible in oriented cooperating relationship. The outward end portions of both arms are bent upon themselves and fashioned into and provide a fork-type rail embracing clamp. The clamp is provided with means capable of accommodating and holding a bucket of paint, tools or the like, for example, a receptacle.

Generically the invention is characterized by the aforementioned structure with mean carried by an inward end portion of the main arm only which means is adapted for secure but quick and releasable connection with a predetermined portion of a selected one of the steps regardless of the crosssection of the step which is to be accommodated.

More specifically novelty is predicated on the idea of overlapping bolted portion of main and auxiliary arms using, where necessary, shims to vary the dimension of the rail clamp. Then, too, novelty is predicated on the use of several basically similar but specifically different anchoring h'ooks which are detachably bolted and can be brought into play to accommodatingly and fittingly serve their intended purposes depending on the nature of the rung or step which is to be engaged thereby.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a ladder attachment showing the receiver or pan-like holder for a bucket or can of paint and how it performs w en in use on a ladder, the ladder being shown in phantom lines and the attaching and anchoring hook being that which applies fittingly to a flat top broad step;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 but including the use of shims for adjusting the width of the clamp and with the receiver for the paint bucket omitted for clearness of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of one of the shims shown in use in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and also in perspective but with the ladder in full lines, with the receiver for the paint bucket omitted and with the type of anchoring hook which is brought into play when the step is of that type which is commonly seen and used on socalled homemade ladders;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on a slightly enlarged scale on the plane of the section line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view in perspective similar to FIGURE 4 and showing the form or stile which is used in conjunction with a round rung ladder construction and which also shows that the hook is not only attachable and detachable but is loose enough to permit the bracket to assume a canted position;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on the plane of the section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a view in perspective of the anchoring hook used in the adaptation or arrangement illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7.

It will be evident by glancing over the views of the drawing that generically the part of the device referred to as the bracket is basic in its construction. It is believed therefore that all of the views which show the bracket can be properly referred to with like reference characters designating like or corresponding parts. Referring, for example, to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6 in particular it will be evident that the attachable and detachable bracket is denoted as a structural entity by the numeral 1%, the same being made up of a pair of separable and connectible complemental units. More specifically one unit comprises a main arm one end portion of which is denoted at 12 the latter having a free terminal end portion at the right as at 14. At its opposite end it is fashioned into substantially an L-shaped component embodying a lateral short bend 16, a longer bend 18, the latter having a free end portion 20 which is positioned in a generally horizontal plane by way of the lateral twist or bend 22. This flattened member is riveted or otherwise fastened to a pan-like receiver 24 which provides a holder for a bucket or can of paint A and which in practice could be used to accommodatingly receive tools such as employed by carpenters, tinners, gutter men and so on. The main limb is differentiated by the numeral 9 to distinguish it from the companion auxiliary limb 26 which comprises a short limb portion 28 and an L-shaped limb portion comprising the bend or bent portion 30, longer limb portion 32 and flared terminal end 34. These components 39 and 32 are opposed to the companion portions 16 and 18 to define a substantially U-shaped clamp which embraces the stile or hand rail B of the ladder C. The step in this particular showing (FIG. 1) is denoted at D and is the aforementioned fiat wide type. The end portion 14 of the main arm is provided with a clip 36 which is superimposed on the end 14 and bolted in place as at 38 and is provided with a substantially U-shaped hook 40 to engage over the edge 42 of the step.

In case the clamp does not fit it is within the purview of the invention to utilize cleats 44. Each cleat is in the form of a rectangular plate and has notches 46 to fit over the arm assembling and retaining bolts 48 held in place by the nuts 50.

The distinction in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 and is in the clip which is used, the clip of this arrangement being denoted at 52 and having a portion 54 which is adjustably mounted on the end portion 14 of the main arm by way of the bolt 56. The lower end is formed with a saddle or stirrup 58 which lends itself to accommodation of the vertical type step 60.

Referring now to the third type of clip, the type which is shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that this is basically much like the other clips. In fact, all of the clips are detachably bolted and may be adjustable as to dimensions. Further, it is within the purview of the invention that the bolt and bolt holes may be of varying dimensions so that the clips can be loosely mounted to achieve the results shown, for example, in FIG. 6 in particular. In any event, the ladder in FIG. 6 is distinguishably referred to at 62, the same having a stile or hand rail 64 and a round rung 66. The main and auxiliary arms in the overall bracket are the same in construction as already described. Hence, the only difference here is in the substantially U-shaped clip whose attaching shank is denoted at 66 and provided with a bolt hole 63 to accommodate the attaching bolt 70. The extra hole 72 in this situation is to accommodate a ring 74 carrying a chain 7 6 holding a retaining pin 73 which is fitted across the rung and into a keeper hole 8%) provided in the free end portion 82 of this stirrup-like clip. In connection with the embodiment herein under consideration it will be observed that the play around the bolt will cause the hook to tip slightly and bind to the ladder rung or step from any up or down pressure and the hook and the arm, being in two pieces, the hook will tip sidewise and bind from any end pressure so it can be seen that it is more secure than would be the case if the clip were not separate and not free to angle itself as a result of the bolting arrangement illustrated.

In all forms of the invention the clamp embraces the side or hand rail of the ladder and the long arm of the L on the main arm 9 is fashioned at its free end to provide means to support the receiver or receptacle 20. The auxiliary arm with its L-shaped portion is attachable and detachable and adjustable with the aid of shims and can be employed either by direct bolting to the main arm or with the aid of shims as shown in FIG. 2. The adapter type clips are used at the inner end portion of the main arm to accommodate rungs of different sizes and shapes. It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the subject matter of the invention, the features and advantages and mode of use. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An attachment for a ladder having a pair of opposed spaced parallel side rails with steps or rungs interposed and fixed between said rails; said attachment characterized by a readily attachable and detachable bracket comprising: an elongated main arm and a companion auxiliary arm, opposed portions of said arms being connectible in oriented cooperating relationship, the outward end portions of said arms being bent upon themselves and fashioned into and providing a fork-type rail embracing clamp, said clamp being provided with means capable of accommodating and holding a bucket of paint, tools or the like, and means carried by an inward end portion of said main arm and adapted for secure but quick releasable connection with a predetermined portion of a selected one of said steps.

2. The attachment according to claim 1, and wherein the last-named means comprises a clip having a portion provided with a hook for anchoring engagement with said step, and an additional portion detachably joined to said inward end portion.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, and wherein said opposed portions are connected by bolts and, in combination, a plurality of individually and collectively usable shims having positioning and retaining notches, said shims being optionally and selectively usable between said opposed portions and, when in use, being assembled and retained by said bolts.

4. The structure defined in claim 8 and wherein said clip means has an attaching shank bolted to the arm portion and has a U-shaped hook which can be engaged over an edge portion of a step.

5. The structure defined in claim 8 and wherein said clip means comprises an elongated shank having a hook at a lower end, said hook being fashioned into a stirrup and adapted to engage over a lower edge portion of a vertically disposed ladder step.

6. The structure defined in claim 8, said clip means comprising a U-shaped member for saddling of the rung therein and having one end portion detachably and adjustably bolted in place, having keeper holes, said keeper holes adapted to receive an insertable and removable keeper pin.

7. A ladder attachment comprising two arms; namely a main arm having a long inner end portion and a substantially L-shaped outer end portion, said L-shaped outer end portion being provided on a terminal thereof with a fixedly mounted pan-shaped receiver and a holder for a paint can or the like, clip means attached to a terminal part of the inner end portion of said arm, said clip means being fashioned to detachably and cooperatively engage a step or rung of the ladder, and an auxiliary arm having a portion superimposed on the long arm and detachably bolted thereto and having an outer L-shaped end portion, the respective L-shaped portions being disposed in opposed relationship and providing the desired rail straddling fork-type clamp.

8. An attachment for a ladder having a pair of opposed, spaced, substantially parallel side rails with trans,-

verse foot-supporting members extending between said side rails, said attachment comprising:

an elongated main arm; an auxiliary arm adjustably attached to said elongated main arm adjacent one end thereof and forming with said main arm, an opened ended, bifurcated rail-embracing structure adapted to engage one of said side rails; means for supporting a paint container carried by said bifurcated rail-embracing structure; and means carried by the end of said elongated main arm opposite said one end for securing said main arm by a quick releasable connection to one of said footsupporting members.

References Qited by the Examiner UNiT ED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ATTACHMENT FOR A LADDER HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SPACED PARALLEL SIDE RAILS WITH STEPS OF RUNGS INTERPOSED AND FIXED BETWEEN SAID RAILS; SAID ATTACHMENT CHARACTERIZED BY A READILY ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE BRACKET COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED MAIN ARM AND A COMPANION AUXILIARY ARM, OPPOSED PORTIONS OF SAID ARMS BEING CONNECTIBLE IN ORIENTED COOPERATING RELATIONSHIP, THE OUTWARD END PORTIONS OF SAID ARMS BEING BENT UPON THEMSELVES AND FASHIONED INTO AND PROVIDING A FORK-TYPE RAIL EMBRACING CLAMP SAID CLAMP BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS CAPABLE OF ACCOMMODATING AND HOLDING A BUCKET OF PAINT, TOOLS OR THE LIKE, AND MEANS CARRIED BY AN INWARD END PORTION OF SAID MAIN ARM AND ADAPTED FOR SECURE BUT QUICK RELEASABLE CONNECTION WITH A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF A SELECTED ONE OF SAID STEPS. 